Oil Free Wellington and other groups will be holding a rally for climate justice and a nonviolent blockade of the Oil Industry Summit, which is being held at the TSB Arena in Wellington on Tuesday March 27th.

Spokesperson James Barber says, “We need to take bold, collective action now to prevent catastrophic climate change and as such we’ll be getting in the way of the oil and gas industry by blockading their annual summit in Wellington.”

The Oil Summit is an annual business conference held by the oil and gas industry. Over the last several years 40,000 square kilometres have been opened for exploration at the conference. Each year, however, it has faced increasing opposition, such as the blockade in New Plymouth Taranaki 2017, which stopped the conference for hours.

“Oil and gas business as usual cannot continue,” says James. “The world is already struggling to adapt to a changing climate. The government needs to stop handing out exploration permits, stop all existing exploration and drilling, and provide for a just transition for workers in the industry.

“The solutions to climate change must include and benefit the people most affected by it – Indigenous Peoples, people of colour and those struggling on low incomes. Those most affected by climate change are the least responsible for it,” says James.

“We’re shocked that the Summit is being held in a council-owned venue, particularly since Mayor Justin Lester has previously committed to ethical guidelines for events taking place in council venues,” said James. The location of the Summit had been kept secret by PEPANZ.

“We’d invite everyone in Aotearoa to come down and join us to stand up for climate justice. There will never be a better time to take action than now. You can be part of making a better future for all of us.”

The Rally for Climate Justice is calling for

the government to start listening and end the annual block offers, commit to no new gas and oil exploration permits, stop existing drilling and prospecting for oil and gas, stop subsidising the industry and commit to a just transition for workers.

The oil and gas industries to stop drilling and prospecting; clean up the damage you have caused and listen to, and make amends to, the communities you’ve harmed.

The people of Aotearoa to join with us to stand up for climate justice – demand that global solutions to climate change centre and support those who bear the brunt of it, such as Indigenous Peoples and the working class.

The annual Oil Summit is happening in Wellington March 26-28. Help stop it!

Rally for Climate Justice
On March 27 Oil Free Wellington, with the support of many groups, is holding a rally for climate justice and a blockade of the oil summit in Wellington. Every year representatives from oil companies come together to schmooze and find ways to make money from oil and gas – even as the world struggles to adapt to the lethal effects of climate change caused by pollution from these industries.

It’s never been more important to stand against oil and gas and stand up for a fair and sustainable world.

The companies are keeping the venue secret, we can tell you that it is in central Wellington and we will find out more soon. Please register at https://www.rallyforclimatejustice.nz/ and we will let you know more as soon as we can.

Help the sun flower

On March 26, 12:15pm at Frank Kitts park, 350.org and other groups will be sending a message to the government and the oil companies to end fossil fuel exploration.

Many people are coming from outside of Wellington. We have arranged accommodation for friends traveling from around Aotearoa for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night. If you will need accommodation please let us know by registering.

We really want make the upcoming Rally For Climate Justice as impactful as it can we. We want to make sure everyone has an empowering, successful, and safe blockade.

To do that, we need your support. Could you chip in to help cover costs for food, equipment hire and materials? Every donation helps!

Wellington NVDA training announced!

We’re pleased to let you all know that we’ll be running NVDA training in Wellington!

When: Sunday 18th March 10am-1pmWhere: Newtown Community Centre

If you’re in Wellington come and join us to hear from local environmental campaigners and prepare for the blockade with Non-Violet Direct Action training! Featuring speakers from Oil Free Wellington, Te Ara Whatu and more to be announced. Everyone welcome, snacks provided. Find out more.

How to stop an oil conference

Thanks to 350 Christchurch, who will be hosting an awesome NVDA training session to prepare for the blockade!

The training will cover background on the oil conference and the planned resistance, training in blockading techniques and roles, legal briefing for blockaders, talking to media, and connecting with transport, accommodation and other blockaders making the trip to Wellington. Find out more.

Information Day: Moving on from Oil and Gas, Nau Mai Haere Mai

The day before the PEPANZ conference begins, don’t miss this opportunity to find out more about the connections between NZ’s oil and gas industry and: sacrificed communities, endangered marine life, water issues, man-made climate change and our backyard BBQ’s.

]]>Rally for climate justice! Blockade the oil summit!http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/rally-for-climate-justice-blockade-the-oil-summit/
Mon, 12 Feb 2018 09:16:07 +0000http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/?p=870The organising for our rally for climate justice is heating up and it looks like groups will be coming down from different parts of the country to help blockade the oil summit.

With record breaking temperatures hitting at the same time as huge storms we are seeing why it’s more important than ever to take a strong stand for climate justice!

On March 26 the oil companies and representatives of the new government will be meeting in Wellington. In the past they’ve faced escalating action as people put themselves in the way of oil business as usual. In fact it looks as though the summit organisers are keeping the venue secret at the moment. No doubt our plans have played a part in this decision. We will find out eventually though so please register for updates about our plans before and after March 26.

Today Oil Free Wellington has launched its campaign for a climate justice rally to shut down the Oil Summit in Wellington, March 2018, releasing a “what if…” video showing what could happen if the Labour government committed to a moratorium on fossil fuel exploration.

Spokesperson Michelle Ducat says, “the government needs to listen to the science and protests calling for climate justice and a just transition to a sustainable world. This means halting all exploration and withdrawing all existing permits for exploration and drilling.”

This happens at the same time as seismic blasting for oil begins off the coast of Taranaki, despite local opposition and protests around the country. The same boat, the Amazon Warrior (also called the Beast), has been conducting seismic blasting in New Zealand waters since November 2016 for companies such as Statoil and Chevron, and has faced concerted opposition.

Michelle continues, “these companies are seeking profit and will not surrender their permits, if they think there is money to be made, unless the government makes them surrender their permits. If the government is serious about climate change being a “nuclear free moment” then they need to stop making excuses, put in place a moratorium, and work with affected people and groups such as iwi, hapu and unions, to achieve a just transition for a sustainable and fair future for all.”

She continues, “we know that exploration for fossil fuels cannot continue. In order to avoid catastrophic climate change we can’t burn all the fossil fuels which we’ve already found, let alone explore for more.

The Oil Summit is an annual business conference which has been running for several years. During that time thousands of square kilometres have been opened for oil and gas exploration, some areas even outside of New Zealand’s territory or exclusive economic zone. The conferences have faced escalating protests with most recently hundreds blocking the entrances and delaying the conference for hours when it was held in New Plymouth in March 2017. In March 2018 the conference is taking place in Wellington.

Michelle continues, “the government and fossil fuel companies need to know that they will continue to face concerted opposition to their plans for more oil and gas exploration, and if they do not make the transitions needed towards a just and sustainable society then people will make these changes. They will see this with the upcoming community flotilla in Taranaki and the climate justice rally in Wellington at their business conference.”

Oil Free Wellington warmly invites everyone keen to stand up for climate justice, and a fair and sustainable future, to the rally for climate justice on March 26, Wellington.

Groups from all over the country are gathering to shut down the Expo, held this year at the Wellington Westpac Stadium. Members of Oil Free Wellington will join the protest.Oil Free Wellington spokesperson Frances Mountier says, “we are supporting the blockade because peace issues and climate justice are intertwined. If we are to achieve a just and sustainable world there is no room for the weapons industry. You cannot have a just world where people make money out of the deaths of others.”

She continues, “just as climate change is being fueled by oil and gas companies pursuing profit, war is fueled by weapons manufacturers and industries seeking to make money. Climate change and war destroy homes, displace people and effect the poor and vulnerable.”

“As climate change gets worse so too will conflicts around resources, land, migration and displacement. Tomorrow we will be taking action against businesses which would seek to profit from such conflict and wars.”

The Weapons Expo is a trades fair for major weapons companies, including Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Thales and Northrup Grumman. These companies come together at the Expo each year to carry out business deals, network, and plan how to expand their businesses.

Unfortunately, such deals fuel a global war machine that causes death and destruction in countries across the world.

Oil Free Wellington, is sending a clear message to Statoil; that they, and the fossil fuel extraction they come to profit from, is unwelcome in Aotearoa/New Zealand. A banner saying this has been signed by hundreds of New Zealanders and has been posted to Statoil’s offices in Oslow, Norway.

This comes at the same time as revelations by Greenpeace that Statoil and Texan oil giant Anadarko have contracted an agency to spy on the environmental movement in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Fossil fuel exploration, both in New Zealand and worldwide has to stop, we are getting dangerously close to catastrophic climate change, to prevent this we can’t burn all the fossil fuel’s we’ve already found, let alone keep hunting for more.

In November 2016 over hundreds gathered, in New Zealand’s capital to protest the presence of the Amazon warrior, commissioned by Statoil, which was doing seismic blasting in our waters. People from all over Wellington came to add their message to the banner, and to tell Statoil to leave.

Statoil, along with Chevron, currently holds permits for oil exploration in over 25,000 square kilometres of New Zealand waters in the east coat, and in Pegasus Basin, Southeast of Wellington. Since receiving the permits in 2014, they have faced staunch opposition in Aotearoa, especially from indigenous Maori, who in 2015 sent a delegation from Northland to speak at the annual shareholder meeting in Norway. Despite this, their “report of iwi and hapu engagement” available on the Statoil website, makes no mention of opposition, and paints a positive reception.

While Norway leads the way in sustainable energy production at home, with 99% of mainland energy production from hydro-power, there is a different story behind the scenes. Statoil, a state owned enterprise is present in more than 30 countries around the world, generating over 45 million USD in revenue in 2016 from fossil fuel extraction. Their sustainable energy empire is funded by profits from extraction of fossil fuels in many countries around the world.

]]>Resist the Petroleum Summit – Wellington, 2018http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/resist-the-petroleum-summit-wellington-2018/
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 21:14:20 +0000http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/?p=850We’re planning a day of resistance in early 2018, after the recent announcement that the annual petroleum industry summit will be held in Wellington next year. (We are yet to learn the date but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear!).

In March 2017 a coalition of groups blockaded the summit in New Plymouth, Taranaki and delayed the Summit for hours. Apparently the industry delegates were unhappy with the conference and its venue, so it’s moving back to Wellington.

This year’s protest follows years of increased resistance by the climate / climate justice Aotearoa movement. Some of you will have joined us in 2014 when we held a symbolic ‘sit in’ in front of that year’s petroleum summit, held in the Westpac Stadium.

We look forward to working with you to bring the blockade to Wellington. Let’s show these climate clowns they are not welcome in our city.

If you’d like to help out with organising opposition to the 2018 summit – or if you have help to offer – please get in touch at oilfreewellington@gmail.com

]]>﻿ Wellington Bus Drivers Face Pay Cuthttp://oilfreewellington.org.nz/%ef%bb%bf-wellington-bus-drivers-face-pay-cut/
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 21:12:56 +0000http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/?p=848With a change to bus contracts for the Wellington region drivers are facing a pay cut of up to $200 a week and the casualisation of contracts. The changes have been approved by a vote in the regional council and come into effect next year. Union drivers are refusing to sign the new contracts.

Oil Free Wellington has extended our support to the Tramways Union so we will be keeping you updated on the situation. Public transport is a key tool to reducing greenhouse gas emissions – but this must be fair for all workers.

]]>Oil and Gas Subsidies – who pays to decommission oil industry infrastructure?http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/oil-and-gas-subsidies-who-pays-to-decommission-oil-industry-infrastructure/
Thu, 10 Aug 2017 21:11:57 +0000http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/?p=846Our friends at Climate Justice Taranaki are worried that it will be us! Current plans could see the government subsidise oil and gas companies by approximately $800 million to decommission old oil rigs in Taranaki over the next few years.

However the government has already spent their oil royalties so are scrambling to find the money through the ird.

We’ll be putting the question of why $800 million is being spent on oil and gas at a time of climate crisis directly to government MPs and candidates during debates. We invite you to as well!

To give some perspective, $28 million is budgeted for predator free NZ 2050, and $90 million for essential maintenance on the Wellington rail network.

]]>Petroleum Summit Taranakihttp://oilfreewellington.org.nz/petroleum-summit-taranaki/
Tue, 14 Feb 2017 22:19:48 +0000http://oilfreewellington.org.nz/?p=835In March this year, oil executives will meet in Taranaki for their annual conference – and it’s our job to disrupt it. We can’t let them continue to burn fossil fuels in the face of climate change.

A coalition of climate groups, campaigning on climate change, fracking, oil and gas drilling and social justice, around Aotearoa are planning to disrupt the New Zealand Petroleum Conference in March this year. They are hosting the ‘People’s Climate Rally’ at the 2017 Petroleum Conference in New Plymouth Taranaki. On the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of March this will include peaceful protest, workshops, and entertainment for people of all ages and backgrounds who support a world powered by clean energy.

Oil Free Wellington are keen to support Wellingtonians to join the Rally in Taranaki. In preparation, we’re hosting a non-violent direct action (NVDA) training workshop, where we’ll share knowledge about where, how, and why we use NVDA. This is happening at 12pm, Saturday 4th March, at the Newtown Community Centre on Daniel st.

We’re also organising transport to and from Taranaki, and a place to sleep has been organised with locals and a local marae. We’ll be heading up on Tuesday the 21st in time for a welcome and action briefing and heading back in two groups on Wednesday afternoon/evening and Thursday 23rd for those who can stay a little longer.

Let us know you’re keen to join us and come along. Please email oilfreewellington@gmail.com with the subject line Petroleum Summit Transport.